The Irish standard., 1887-01-22

know this to be a mild t, pc OF Irish
landlordism "a the landlord happened
to he a Christian gentleman and even
an Irishman. But the minds OF men
became so warped and blinded by the
spirit of landIordism that conscience,
honor, and patriotism went down be-
fore it, If not now when are we far
rners to ask tor our own? The majority
OF the farmers at the present moment
must feel III their hearts that they are
defrauding themselves, their children,
and their country by only claiming fe-
ductions Of rent which should be made
OH the fall i'm The economic value OF
of the land without making reference
to the robbery Of their improvements.
Our leaders and our priests are leaving
us to ourselves on the question OF the
reductions we shonld claim, and per-
haps many farmers are under the i'm
preston that they are serving the cause
OF their country by their moderation.
This is, in my opi'lion, q fearful mis-
take An exhibition Of real power by
the united and combined efforts OF the
whole people is the policy by which we
shall regain our property and win tie
land on fair terins and convince our
foes and confirm OUT EnAlish friends
that Irish autonomy is q necessity.
Let the Irish farmers ask themselves as
honest men, the amount Of rent their
farms would be worth without the iln-
provements. and then inquire why they
should offer tlleir landlord q higher
rent than this.
With the exception OF Mr.. P;trnell,
few of our leaders know muci, about
faruing, and it is not fair to ask the
clergy to lead in any revolution. how
ever moral or peaceful. Besides, we
cannot forget that some Leading church
men in the past could not see 1Ileir Way
to question the biasphemous claims aud
dishonest conduct Of the landlords
until DavitJ collared landlorjsln at it's
source. Now, thank God we have leading
ecclesjasTics WEsG have the courage and
wisdom To defend every hones5 claim
made bv the toilers.
just two years ago, in your columns,
from evidences L SAW around me, J.
warned the people Of the probable posi-
tion the country was drifting into, and
I called for an open combination Of the
whole people as the chief or only means
by which, we could save ourselves from
ruin. The present Plan of Campaign
was soon after published in reply TO
that call. NEics Parne]l has since, w;jta
Singular WisGoIl, tried and exhausted;
every means to arrest the decline Of
his country without asking the farmers
or people TO risk on sacrifice Life, liberty
or property ia al.otEar struggle with
England's landlord garrison; but The
garrison scorned his terms, and tie peo.
pie have now to put forth THEN whole
strength to win fair terms for them
selves and Ireland.
We are now in fair way Of getting
the combination. We have g good
weapon or plan ready for use, but The
lines upon which to rally our forces
have not yet osen found. The leaders
seem to be leaving it to the people, and
the people are. perhaps, leaving it to
the leaders to define the lines. AT the
risk of never being balanced until too
late, stall continue TO cry out that the
improvements line is the one that ctn
be defended against ali comets on the
grounds Of truth and justice, Why,
Mr.. Stead, an English stranger proves
that the reductions the farmers are ask
ing should s,e made on the fall in prices
alone; And LIT ne ask both leaders and
people, are all the savings and slavings
Of our fathers and ourselves to be al
lowed to go by the board? Ii may be
useful to remind the people that the
Plan Of Campaign is only 70 means TO
an end. 1t is simply farmer giving q
guarantee to his fellows of his good
faith in the Ggnt, and at the same ti1ne
providing an Irish fund to break land
lordism without begging too much
from our friends elsewhere. TIE farm
ers should remember that under the
coming police court and magisterial
coercion, which the small statesman
now leading the attack upon us axe de-
vising. they will get month o. two in
prison for asking q dishonest 20 per
cent as for asking an honest 50, 50, or
50 per cent. reduction. So we may as
we'll demand our rights and our own as
go whining fer permission to drag out
another year in misery and ind;gence.
have no hesitation in warning both
leaders and people that if the farmers
go on borrowing money to pay. rent to
either trustees Or landlords they are
laying the foundation for famine in
1887. We must decline to pay to land
ordisn more than we should; we must
refuse to work for it or trade with it
n word, we must combine to starve
t out in 'S7, or it will starve lis out as
t did in ~.
Yours very truly,